The World Bank, in conjunction with the G20, is reinvigorating its infrastructure focus, paying particular attention to leveraging resources from the private sector and investing in fragile and conflict affected states. It announced a return to big hydropower projects, despite continued concerns about projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala and Uganda.
Aid
Finance
Background
IFC blended finance
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank's private sector arm, has recently formalised its 'blended finance' approach, undertaking investment in the private sector at lower than market rates using subsidies provided by donors. Donors' concessional funds are combined with the IFC's own non-concessional funding.
Finance
Background
Notes of a meeting with World Bank Managing Director Caroline Anstey
Notes of a meeting with World Bank Managing Director Caroline Anstey
Accountability
Background
Bending the arc of poverty
The session focused on the World Bank's development strategy, poverty eradication goals, global inequality, and the threat of climate change.
Accountability
Background
The challenges of advancing sustainability at the World Bank
This panel discussion reflected on the major sustainability challenges facing the World Bank through exploring two World Resources Institute areas - a portfolio analysis on 2012 projects, and the interaction between country systems and World Bank safeguard approaches.
Accountability
News
Spring meetings 2013: communiqués coverage
Coverage of the communiqu
Accountability
Background
World Bank executive directors roundtable with CSOs
Minutes of an open roundtable with EDs that occurred during the 2013 spring meetings.
Finance
Background
IDA results and replenishment
Minutes of an event at the 2013 spring meetings
Accountability
News
IFC invests in Kenyan private international school
The International Finance Corporation (IFC, the private sector arm of the World Bank) in mid-March proposed a $7 million investment in Kenyan private education firm, Brookhouse Schools Limited.
Infrastructure
News
Indian NGO faults IFC energy project
A November field study by Indian NGO the Research Collective has found that an International Finance Corporation (IFC, the Bank's private sector arm) supported coal-power plant run by GMR Kamalanga Energy Limited (GKEL), financed through a financial intermediary, has caused water pollution in the Odisha region.
Featured briefings
1 October 2024
Year one of World Bank Paris Agreement alignment in the energy sector: ‘green conditionality’ dwarfs green investments
New BWP research finds the Word Bank's approach to Paris alignment is being used to a significant extent to impose ‘green conditionalities' on borrowing countries, especially in the Global South.
3 July 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2024
3 July 2024
Is the World Bank rolling back commitments to citizen engagement, again?
Understanding the Bank’s chequered history with public, community and civil society participation is key for understanding what is at stake and what to do next.